The Fateful Drama of the Saarbrücken Raid

From Paintings by Lieut. Henri Farré, the French Aviator Artist at Present in America

AMONG the hundred and fifty canvases of "Sky Fighters in France," shown at the Anderson Galleries, were these three picturing the tragic death of Capt. Albert Fequant, one of the most experienced aviators of France. Capt. Fequant took part, with many others, in the first French reprisal raid on Saarbrücken, in June, 1916. His pilot was Sergeant Niox. Homeward bound, after the successful accomplishment of their mission, they were attacked by two Boche machines. One turned and fled. The second was flying just ahead and just below Fequant. The Frenchman stood up in order to fire more accurately, whereupon the German turned his machine gun on him and killed him. Capt. Fequant dropped, and would have fallen out of the car if Niox had not seized him with one hand. Using the other to operate his controls, Niox dived into a cloud and landed safely, an hour later, at his aviation field. Another French airplane, also returning from the raid, had witnessed the combat. It speeded toward the Boche, attacked him and drove him to earth in flames. The conquering French aviator was Philippe Fequant, and he did not know, until he landed again on the home field, that he had avenged the death of his own brother.